[FCgrabo]

I have read the post titled "The iBook Clamshell - Which OS is best for you?", wherein the author of the post considers that OS X 10.3.9 Panther is the "sweet spot" for the G3 iBook Clamshell. I am trying to find that sweet spot for this, my first laptop.

Present Background:
iBook G3 Indigo with FireWire
572 Ram
60GB HD
Boot ROM info 4.1.7f4
Presently running OS X 10.2.8

Since I didn't own a version of Panther, I looked around and bought OS X 10.3 discs from AppleRescue on the Net. When it arrived I chunked it in the drive. It nicely displayed all the files ready for the new OS install. But, both clicking on the Install icon OR booting from the CD results in the spinning up, then coasting down. Spin up, coast down. Over and over for the 45 mins I tried it.

I contacted AppleRescue and told them that Disc 1 wouldn't load. They kindly and promptly sent a replacement. The new disc resulted in the same story... recognized, but no installation.

Now, I've looked at Panther on eBay and other places. One place I remember warned that, for a true install, one would need the Black discs with the silver X.

My questions:
Are my AppleRescue discs good but I have a faulty CD drive?
Are the AppleRescue discs not suited for what I need?
Is Panther still a possibility in my case?
Do I need different Panther install discs?

I'd really like to make this laptop a viable machine in my lifestyle since it's the first own I've ever owned. Panther would make the experience that much sweeter.

Thanks for your help.

[ChasingApple]

The retail disc is what you need for the install to work properly. If you know someone with a mac you can try to firewire install using the disc you have. The CD-Rom died on my clamshell as well so I used to put the Panther disc into my iMac and install to the clamshell over target disc mode to the clammy. Give that a shot if possible or get yourself a retail disc

Good luck!

[FCgrabo]

OK. Buying the retail disks will be my last resort since I've already invested a sum into the disks that I have.

I tried the Firewire Target Disk mode as suggested. I was thwarted right from the git-go. Probably due to my own ignorance never having done this before.

The target disk mode worked. The iBook's drive showed up on my iMac's desktop. From here I get lost.

I have three disks for Panther installation. Should I copy the contents of ALL the disks over to the iBook? (I'm assuming you want to take the cd drive out of the picture.)

If I start the install on the iMac, the first thing the software wants me to do is click the button to restart and begin the installation. Don't need to install Panther there when Tiger is already running.

So please help out again. This is probably some stupid procedure which I'm overlooking or it's a little more involved than I imagined.

Thanks alot.

[ChasingApple]

Your making it harder then it is. Put your clamshell is target disc mode, and put the OS X disc into the other mac. Choose install and let the other mac restart into OS X install mode. When it comes to the page that shows the HD to install to just choose the HD on the clamshell and proceed installing like normal. Once installed shut both systems down, unplug the firewire and boot em both back up, walaa, OS X on the clamshell!

Let me know if you have any other questions.